Mayon Volcano’s eruption continued on Monday as it spewed lava down its slopes in the Philippines. This event prompted authorities to alert tens of thousands of villagers to prepare for possible evacuation, as the gentle eruption could potentially become violent and life-threatening.
Since last week’s increase in volcanic activity, over 13,000 inhabitants of mostly low-income farming communities residing within a 6-kilometer (3.7-mile) radius of Mayon Volcano’s crater have been evacuated.
Despite this, an unknown number of residents are still living in the permanent danger zone at the base of the volcano, which has long been declared off-limits due to the threat it poses. These individuals have chosen to remain there mainly due to a lack of alternative options.
As the Mayon Volcano continued to expel lava on Sunday night, officials warned that the high-risk zone may need to be expanded if there is a violent eruption.
Teresito Bacolcol, the director of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, noted that if this occurs, residents within any newly expanded danger zones should be prepared for mandatory evacuations to emergency shelters in order to ensure their safety.
The official also emphasized the importance of being informed about the latest updates and warnings regarding the situation, and following emergency procedures as advised to prevent harm and loss of life.
According to Teresito Bacolcol, the director of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, Mayon Volcano’s current activity is classified as an “effusive eruption,” which is likely to be monitored on a day-to-day basis. However, officials are taking all necessary precautions as there is a possibility of a more violent eruption.
As Associated Press journalists observed the scene from a distance, lava flows down Mayon Volcano’s southeastern gullies were visible for hours on Sunday night. In Legazpi, a seaside promenade that serves as the capital of northeastern Albay province, approximately 14 kilometers (8.5 miles) from Mayon, patrons of bars and restaurants hastily stepped outside to capture photographs of the now-active volcano, which is a popular tourist attraction due to its picturesque cone shape.
Mayon’s recent activity has generated feelings of fear and suffering among the population.
Marilyn Miranda recounted that she, along with her daughter and her 75-year-old mother who had recently suffered a stroke, left their residence in a village located in the hazardous area of Guinobatan town on Thursday. They sought refuge at a high school that had been transformed into an evacuation center, which was uncomfortably hot. According to Miranda, her nephew returns home every day, along with other men in their impoverished rural locality, to safeguard their homes and livestock.
The residents at the overcrowded evacuation center were traumatized after witnessing the bright red-orange lava cascading down Mayon’s slopes on Sunday night. Marilyn Miranda became emotional when she spoke to the AP, expressing their fear that their end was near. The eruption of Mayon was the first of a series of unfortunate events for Amelia Morales and her family.
Her husband passed away on Friday due to a combination of illnesses, and Morales had to conduct his funeral in the emergency shelter in Guinobatan since she and her neighbors were given orders to stay away from their community near Mayon.
Morales, who is 63 years old, pleaded for assistance since she lacked the funds to bury her spouse. She sat by her husband’s white wooden coffin under a weak tent in the corner of the evacuation center, feeling helpless. On Monday, Mayon appeared peaceful, with its peak often covered by clouds.
The 2,462-meter (8,077-foot) volcano seemed calm because the hot molten lava flow was invisible under the bright sun. However, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology alerted the public to remain vigilant about further eruptions, even though Mayon’s condition appeared placid.
Mayon volcano was upraised to alert level three on Thursday, putting it in a state of high unrest with the possibility of a hazardous eruption that could take place in the next few days or weeks. Despite the gentle flow of lava down the volcano, Bacolcol ensured that the alert level would remain at three, but it could be raised higher if the situation suddenly becomes hazardous.
If the alert level is raised to the highest, level five, it would signify that a violent and life-threatening eruption is currently occurring. As a result, ash plumes would release into the atmosphere, and superheated pyroclastic streams would endanger more communities located at Mayon’s rich foothills.
The Philippines is home to 24 active volcanoes, and Mayon is one of them. It last violently erupted in 2018, forcing tens of thousands of residents to flee their homes.
In 1814, Mayon’s volcanic eruption resulted in the burial of entire villages and attributed to more than 1,000 deaths.
Furthermore, the Philippines is exposed to around 20 typhoons and tropical storms annually, sitting on the Pacific “Ring of Fire.” This region encompasses seismic faults, where the majority of the earth’s earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur.
Lastly, one of the significant volcanic eruptions of the 20th century occurred in 1991 when Mount Pinatubo in the north of Manila erupted, killing hundreds.